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Kia Optiima vs. Ford FusionKia Optima takes all against Ford Fusion.
Kia’s Optima wins out over Ford’s Fusion. The two mid-size sedans run neck and neck in price and mpg, but the Kia’s got a smoother ride and better acceleration.
The Kia Optima 2006 EX may have a small sticker price with a 2.7 liter V6 engine, alloy wheels, aluminum interior trim, power sunroof with tilt and black leather seat trim, all for only $23,300, but it definitely doesn't look like bargain basement material. This mid-size sedan is designed with beautiful lines, yet it has the excitement of a sporty car. Plus, Kia had the buyer's personal needs in mind with excellent light patterns for driving at night, roomy interior, comfortable seats, keyless entry and a premium sound system. The Optima is a great car to drive to work too with an estimated 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. A MacPherson strut front suspension gives the Optima a smooth ride over those potholes and the car's safety features are many, including six standard airbags and full-length curtain shields. Probably the best part of buying the Optima is Kia's "peace of mind" warranty. This automaker certainly backs up this vehicle's performance with its industry-leading Kia Total Protection Package, which includes a 10 year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty, plus some other great warranty options. Kia must have a lot of confidence to offer this kind of extended protection, giving new buyers years of worry-free driving. Overall, Optima's quality ride and fuel economy make it one of the best buys for a mid-size sedan. The Ford Fusion, by comparison, was lackluster over the Kia Optima. At about the same price ($22,830 on the test model) as the Optima, the Fusion did not have the same driver appeal. The 3.0 liter 4V 46 Duratec engine seemed sluggish and didn't have enough acceleration for freeway driving. However, the five-speed manual transmission model with a 2.3 liter engine actually had much better acceleration and is a sporty, fun drive as compared to the automatic transmission test car. The Ford Fusion has almost identical gas mileage estimates (23 mpg city; 31 mpg highway) and price point ($22,830) as the Kia Optima. Perhaps the exterior sets it apart with a much more masculine look. The chrome grille and trim are very bling-bling and obviously appeal more to guys. The saddle-stitched black leather seats are comfortable enough, the instrument panel is rather racy and the luxury options are cool (power seats with lumbar adjustment, in-dash MP3 and six-CD audio system. The three-year, 36,000-mile warranty can't stack up to Kia's amazing 10-year warranty either.
The copyright of the article Kia Optiima vs. Ford Fusion in Buying a Car is owned by Sheryll Alexander. Permission to republish Kia Optiima vs. Ford Fusion in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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